


Brave Like A Lion

by MadDramaQueen



Series: Adventures in the SortaMalicious MadHouse [22]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Fluff, all the feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 17:54:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11583216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadDramaQueen/pseuds/MadDramaQueen
Summary: There's a storm outside and it's scaring the hell outta me. It's keeping me awake and I can't sleep.Why can't I be brave like everyone else?





	Brave Like A Lion

It was a dark and stormy night. 

No, I'm serious. It's dark and stormy outside. Maybe a little too much for the MadHouse. We appreciate the usual sinister storm, but this one is a bit much. The wind is whistling through the trees and you can hear some branches hit the windows with a light tapping sound. The thunder gets jealous of other things making noise during a storm and decides to have its say, each boom louder than the last. Maybe the occasional stomach growl rumble, here and there. And then the lightning decides to blind us all with its powerful light, streaks across the sky with almost perfect zig zags and sun-competing brightness. 

Mind you, I'm up at 2 in the damn morning while all this is going on. And it has been going on since about midnight. This storm won't let up. I'm glad to be back in the MadHouse and all, but I didn't expect all this. Now, I'm tossing and turning in my bedroom trying to get to sleep, but I can't. Everything this storm is doing is scaring the crap outta me. I blame Ryan for all this, Mr. Dark God over there. This storm is probably his doing. I sigh and think that maybe a nice drink is what I need to calm me down. 

I slip off my bed, put on my Hello Kitty slippers and grab my flashlight. Turning it on, I creak open my bedroom door and peek my head out. 

"BOO!"

I shriek, dropping my flashlight. I shine it in the face of the person who decided to scare the daylights outta me. 

Ghost Ray. Of course. 

"Damn it, Ray! Why'd you do that? This storm is scaring me enough as it is!" I whisper-yell.

"You trying to blind me or something? Turn that off; I feel like I'm going outside and I don't like it."

I roll my eyes and turn my flashlight off. I look at Ray in his nightie and of course it has little grass logos on it. I never knew what that meant, but I was always afraid to ask, so it's still a mystery to me. I start to head towards the spiral staircase, down to the kitchen. 

"Hey, wait up, Katz!" Ghost Ray floats next to me as I keep moving. "Why're you up so late at night? But then again, sleep is for the weak."

Thunder cracks and I gasp, clutching the banister so I don't fall down the stairs. 

"Ohhh...you're scared of a storm? Man, Ryan used to make storms all the time! Once, he made tornadoes when me and the guys would hang out together. We went fishing once, and he just thought it would be fun to just conjure up tornadoes and send us flying in the air. Shit was just flying all over the place, it was crazy!" Ghost Ray chuckled at old memories. "And one time, he won the Tower of Pimps and on cue, it started to pour down raining. The man is crazy, but this is natural so I can't tell him to stop. Sorry, Katz. Maybe you know some sort of 'stop the rain' dance or something..."

I sigh and continue walking down the stairs. "No, I don't know any dances like that. But, damn! Ryan is too OP sometimes. That crown got to his head. But, then again, that's part of why I think he's super cool. His dorky side and his mad side can make me smile. I just wish I could smile right now."

I finally get down the stairs and I head to the kitchen. I find that it's already occupied. Some of my friends couldn't sleep, either. I saw NinjaMonkey eating a banana and sitting next to my new friend, Leanne, who was working on something with yarn, but I couldn't tell what yet. I sit on the other side of Joe and tap him on the shoulder. 

"Yo. Midnight snack?" I ask. 

"It's not midnight, Tabs." he smirks and playfully shoves me. As if on cue, thunder and lightning strike at the same time and I duck under the table in fright.

"Tabi? Mad Sis, you all right?" Joe pulled back the tablecloth to find me huddled under the table.

"I'm not coming out until the storm stops. Just drop a Snapple Apple and a bag of Cheetos down here. I'll be fine."

Ghost Ray raised his hands up. "I'm not touching my BFF's stash of Snapples. That's on you, my friend." 

I roll my eyes and close my eyes to sleep under the table for the night. Suddenly, I feel something tossed onto my lap. I open my eyes to find a little lion made out of yarn. He looked so cute, his eyes staring at me. I needed a little friend to hug, so I clutched it tight to my chest and crawled out from under the table.

"You like it?"

I turn to Leanne, who just asked me that. She gave me a smile and pointed at my new friend. "I made that for you. It was gonna be a birthday surprise, since you're a Leo and all, but I figured you needed it now. He might be small, but he has a big heart. Take good care of him, okay?"

I give Leanne a big hug. "Thank you so much! I'll take good care of...uhhh...Gee, I need a name for the little guy. Little. Lil. Lil Lion! Or Lil L, for short. I like it!" 

"I knew I made it for the right person. You can get through this storm, Tabi. We're all with ya, even though most of the MadHouse is fast asleep." she chuckled.

NinjaMonkey finished his banana and did a handstand on the table. "Hey! That looks cool! Can I get a monkey one? Not a ninja monkey, though. I'm the only one of those."

"You sound like a certain Tigger." I smirked. 

"Hoo hoo hoo HOOOOO!" he exclaimed as he swung his way out of the kitchen and possibly back to his bedroom.

I grab a Snapple Apple from the fridge and give Leanne one last hug. "Thanks again for Lil L. He's gonna feel right at home with my other stuffed animals."

The wind whistled and made one of the long branches start making tap dancing noises on the window pane. I clutch Lil L tightly and start to rush back up to the safety of my bedroom. I didn't feel a ghostly presence behind me, so I assume Ghost Ray stood behind.

I ran as fast as my legs could take me, and then I ran faster when thunder shook the MadHouse with a really loud BOOM! I didn't see where I was going while I was running and I bumped into something. 

"Hello, there. Are you okay?" 

Nope. Someone. And it was Ryan. 

He offered his hand and I grabbed it and stood up. He was also in his pajamas. Someone gave him a Diet Coke onesie for Christmas. You be the judge on how he looks...

"Tabi? What're you doing up so late at night? And, I think you've dropped something." He picked up Lil L and gave him to me. 

"Thanks. And sorry for running into you. I-I'll just be on my way to my room now."

I try to walk past him, but he stops me with a concerned look on his face. 

"Tabi. What's going on? You can talk to me. You're not thinking about leaving again, are you?"

I shook my head. "No. It's just...it's silly. You'll laugh at me."

"Nonsense, now what is-?"

Damn this thunder, man! The flash from the lightning felt like it hit my face and I ran to Ryan, hugging him as tight as I hug Lil L. 

"Oh, I see. It's the storm, isn't it? It's making things go bump in the night for you? Aw, Tabi." He hugs me back and pats my head. "You have nothing to be afraid of, my dear. The storm isn't going to hurt you. You're safe and sound inside the MadHouse. I promise nothing bad will happen to you. Or your little lion friend here."

"His name is Lil L. Leanne gave him to me." I held it out for him to see like a little kid showing their dad a painting they did at school. 

"Ah, right. A lion for such a brave Leo. Nice to meet you, Lil L." Ryan touched Lil L's tummy and a red heart appeared with the cracked crown logo on the inside of it, parts of the edges breaking out. "Now, he is truly part of the MadHouse. He'll be a brave, little lion."

I gasp and look at the magic. It was actually there! The symbol of love in this crazy house was now on Lil L! He could feel braver, just like me! 

"Thank you, Ryan. Uh...Ryan? C-could you walk me back to my room?"

Cue thunder rumbles.

"Please??" 

Ryan chuckles lightly. "Of course, Tabi. I'll even make myself feel a little braver for you. And you know what that needs..." He extends his arm out and his crown comes zooming out of nowhere and clings to his hand. I gasp in excitement because I love when the Mad King comes to play. In a Diet Coke onesie.... Can I get fanart of this?

He puts the crown on his bedhair and takes my hand. "Come now, Tabitha. I'm sure your bed misses you so. I'll take you to it right away. Unless you're gonna let this storm stop you."

I whimper lightly at the noises around me. 

"That's not the brave Tabitha I know. The brave Tabi can conquer anything thrown at her. She can Just Dance with the best of 'em. I'm not brave enough for that."

"That's cause you suck at dancing." Ghost Ray randomly floats by, tipping Ryan's crown over a bit. Ryan flips him off and slowly starts to walk with me.

"There you go, Tabi. One step at a time. This should sound familiar to you. Who told you that about 2 weeks ago?" Ryan smirked at me. 

I blush lightly. "Beth and some of the MadHouse that sent me off to RTX to see you and the others. I was terrified to leave home for the first time like that."

"But you did it. And that was also brave of you. We're all proud of your bravery. And it looks like we're almost at your room, Tabi." Ryan pointed out. I sighed with relief. Good. I could sleep soon.

We finally reached my bedroom and I opened the door to find something on my bed. It was another lion, but this one was bigger and looked to be stuffed with cotton. He looked fluffy and soft and his eyes were staring at me with comfort. I placed Lil L down on my pillow and picked up the larger lion. I gasped at how soft he really did feel. I gave him a hug and felt so happy. I looked at the tag attached to his ear and pulled it off.

_"Dear Tabi,_

_Here's a little something to commend you of your RTX bravery. Treat him with care and love like we know you will. We hope he enjoys his new home. He's traveled so far to see you!_

_With love,  
Beth"_

"Aw, Beth. Thank you" I whispered, hugging the lion plush again. I set him down on the bed and as if by magic, he stood up, walked to Lil L and gave him a hug. I gasped and turned to Ryan. He fixed his crown and shrugged at me.

"I had nothing to do with this one, though he should bear the same mark as his cub." 

"Cub?"

"I assume you're gonna have them be related somehow. That's how these stuffed animal collections work, right?" Ryan shrugged. He touched the bigger lion's tummy and that same MadHouse love symbol appeared on it. 

"I guess so. How the hell are they moving like that??" 

The two lions jumped off my bed and landed on the windowsill. They looked out the window at the storm that has frightened me all night and started to flip it off. Welp. I started laughing. 

"What the hell? Ryan, are you seeing this?"

"Uhhh...I'm just as shocked as you are, Tabi. I didn't make them move like that. But, they do have the right idea. Show that storm who's boss. Don't let it scare you anymore! Tell it to fuck off."

"F- Ryan! I can't say that!" 

"Damn it, Tabitha. Yes, you can. I heard you swear after the Superbowl this year. You can say 'fuck,' now go ahead and say it again. Go on." He pushed me towards the window at a safe space away from it. I turned to look at him and he gave me a thumbs up. I'm just thinking about how silly he looks with that onesie and the crown on his head. 

I look back at the raging storm. It seemed to have picked up since I last saw it. I slowly lifted up my hands and lowered every finger until the middle one on each hand was left. I flipped the storm off and it felt good. 

"Fuck you, storm! You're not gonna scare me anymore! Lil L and RyanLion are here to protect me from you!"

"RyanLion?" Ryan tilted his head in confusion.

"That's my name for this one." I pointed to the larger lion, now crawling on my shoulder and is now sitting there; Lil L on the opposite one. "I wanted to name him after one of the bravest guys I know. And of course that's you, Mad King" I smirk.

"I mean, I have no arguments there." he boasted.

"You're also one of the dorkiest guys I know. Who the hell else walks around with a Diet Coke onesie on?? You weirdo." I chuckle, pushing him out of my room. "Go to bed, Ryan. You need your rest as much as I do." 

Ryan gave me one last hug and smiled. "Okay. As long as you also promise to sleep when I leave."

"It's a deal!" I give him a thumbs up, my lions following suit. 

"Good night, Tabi. Sleep well knowing you beat the storm." Ryan took his crown off and started walking back to his room, humming to himself. 

I closed the door and crawled into bed. I tucked my new lion friends in and kissed them both on the forehead. If I didn't roll over in my sleep, they would be comfy on the Off Topic pillow that was next to me.

As I nodded off to bed, I could've sworn I heard giggling, whispers (maybe from the madhouse witch, Azriella...?) and the sound of a high-5 being exchanged. 

Is that how my lions can move?

Nah! I'll wake up in the morning and they'll be regular toys again, right? 

Right??

**Author's Note:**

> Lil L was given to me by my friendo Demonicbunie14 and made by Leannichu. 
> 
> RyanLion was given to me by Ryan at RTX, but bought and sent to him by my friendo Beth. 
> 
> Thank you all for adding to my stuffed animal collection and helping me to be brave throughout my first RTX experience. I love you guys and everyone else that helped me. So much love that week. <3 <3 <3


End file.
